Virtually Colorless
by Td03
Summary: "15%," Kirito cried out, "you still have 15%. I can make it back to the city and buy a restore, please, just hang on, hang on... No! No! No, don't close your eyes!" Kirito ran, and ran, and ran, and ran as fast as his virtual legs can carry him, carrying his friend in his arms as their HP kept dwindling down every second.


**Virtually Colorless**

Though he's missing, hopefully from light circumstances and not in any way gone from this world, I am eternally grateful to **Kage no Kenshi** (_アッシュ_) whom has inspired me in pretty much almost every nook and cranny of my life. He was also my boyfriend as of November 16th 2014 (and is the reason why I stopped being the horrible person I used to be)

I originally wrote this story when I watched Gun Gale Online and couldn't understand why Kirito is so traumatized of Sterben. I'm of the opinion that killing two definitely evil (cliché, but their lives weren't expanded) is not enough to make someone so scared of committing PK. I concluded that it may be because meeting an _enemy _from the SAO survivors reminded him of the feeling that your life is chipped day by day and you can't do anything about it and you even feel guilty every time you… well, I can somewhat understand, is my point. This was also born through my dislike of Asuna. No, not her specifically, the way the anime portrayed her. First she's a pessimist but then at another episode she suddenly became cheerfully girlish. Then they just switched the main girl to Suguha and Sinon and I thought I'd be happy but I'm not. I realized it was because she had no substantial background. I mean, Kirito's a NEET slash ex-kendo champion, has a sister who loves him romantically and a grandpa who was implied to have been beating him (through Kendo but maybe outside too by psychological means), dead parents and have been life to all of his years by his Aunt. What about Asuna? Some flimsy, typical engagement to a pedo and high expectations from parents – which came in late by New ALO! So I wrote this story (with a lot of help from **Kage** **no** **Kenshi** and **Zaqchirix Cheshire**) with the intention of PoH being a very close influence on him, and planned to end it in endlessness.

Rewritten (18/11/16): Author has made it her personal goal to write in a time limit of 15 minutes everyday and thus, will not be able to shove off her duty to her readers at later dates almost every day as she has been doing for the past months due to adjusting to college life.

**Summary**: "15%," Kirito cried out, "you still have 15%. I can make it back to the city and buy a restore, please, just hang on, hang on... No! No! No, don't close your eyes!" Kirito ran, and ran, and ran, and ran as fast as his virtual legs can carry him, carrying his friend in his arms as their HP kept dwindling down every second.

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**ARC 0**

**No Crown No King**

Chapter 0.1

Free-zone Coast

***Randomized Spawing Area**

**Clearing Field Floor One**

"Ki-bou~"

Oh no. Oh crap. This is too soon. Not her—Kirito sighed as he prepared for the onslaught against his person. Soon enough, he toppled forward and crashed down as he felt a weight, or more accurately, two bumps on the back of my head. He can't help but blush furiously. He had forgotten about how to deal with the feeling of a woman's chest so close to his face. It's been over a month after the last day of the beta test. He never met any girl as clingy as this one in his whole life!

"Argo, get off of me," his voice were muffled as his face was currently being intimate with the lush green grass.

"Nyo~" she mewled in that familiar tone of a tired cat.

Bending his right arm and using it as a crutch he arched back up and let her fall down with a yelp. He immediately scooted away from her.

"HEY! You don't go around throwing a lady away!" She barked. She was still the same as he had known her. Chocolate brown hair under a tattered brown hooded cloak and her cheeks still sporting the whiskers war paint. It's too sloppy and messy to even be mistaken as a make up.

"You fell. I didn't threw you."

Argo blinked, but then she sported a coy smile he had grown to be wary off, "Ufu fu fu, of course I will definitely be happy to fall for you," she cracked a grin when he blushed at his own remark being used against him.

"Whatever, what are you doing here, Argo?" He quickly changed the subject.

"We need to talk." Ah, it's a good thing she was not his girlfriend. No one liked that sentence.

"About what, exactly?"

"Hmm.. Oh, there's this guy who wants to battle with the famous Black Swordsman who promised to pay me 1000 col to find you,"

"What?" Did he just heard that right?

But Argo just ignored him and called out to — Oh, there's a guy behind her, "I finished the end of my deal. The price upped to 3000 col for asking so early on the game. The deadline's a week. Or else." Well, she didn't bother to elaborate the other option. She turned to him and.. why is she getting all serious?

"You forgot to pay up the last info I gave you a month ago."

The raven haired boy blinked, "you mean… our talk at the last day of the beta? I thought that was free!"

She bonked his head, "Nothing from me is free!"

"That was just pointless talk!"

"Pay up, mister!"

"You heartless tax collector," Kirito declared but he didn't make any move to open his menu. They were just exchanging goodbyes, idle talks in case they'll never see each other again – being all sentimental. Who asks for money as a contribution for telling one's favorite colors and food? Argo, that's who!

"And I revel being one," only she would actually boasts such a thing.

"That information was expired, you'd change by now, so it's no use," he stated with a challenging eyebrow, daring her. Not able to come up with a retort, she huffed and left, and ran towards the «**Starting City**». Must be because another client. She doesn't usually gave up on teasing him this easily.

Now… Kirito turned to the man whom he had ignored in favor of bantering his informant. Beginner gears, straight posture, and he was pretty confident on himself from overall demeanor. Dark blue clothes, but lighter than mine. He knows about my… title… a beta tester?

"You must be the—"

"Yes, I'm the guy. So you wanna fight?" Kirito asked, almost eagerly, not particularly willing to hear that title being repeated over and over again. _Thanks Argo, for the opponent._ First hour of grinding and he gets to PK already! What's his level again? He checked his player info briefly. Level 2? Huh.. that's it? Well he did only kill 3 packs of «**Dire Wolves**». And it had only been an hour, so he supposed he shouldn't be so surprised. Besides, he has another 4 hours to spare and get to level 3.

"Alright. Let's have a mock fight."

Kirito nodded, satisfied to have the opportunity to gain better experience points. It's always more fun to duel another player than mobs. He just hoped this person will be a challenge. Did this man buy anything before? It would be better to get a weapon drop from him, preferably another log sword as a back-up.

"One thing though, are you a Beginner?"

"What if I am not?" Teasing. A beta then.

"Nothing in particular. I'm just curious as to how you know of me."

"You're avatar name is quite famous, and Argo the Rat was the best chance for me to find you. She claimed she believes you'd be one of the first to come to this world."

_This world_. The way he refers SAO… So he appreciates the place and doesn't think it's just a game. Kirito's lips tugged. _Nice. __And my name's still famous? I thought people would forget about that. _That title was a bit embarrassing for him. It's too unoriginal.

"Okay, but why do you want to fight so soon after the release? I mean, why not do it later after leveling up?"

"I want to try it before you gain much experience," Too late, I'm a quarter to level 3.

"I see." And with that, I got the request for a duel. Heathcliff.

There are three types of duel here.

One is the option for a «**Fight to Death**». Pretty straightforward. Second is a «**Half-way Duel**». It's basically a fight that declares the winner of the one who managed to reduce the opponent's health bar down to the exact half. Third is the «**First Blood**», where the winner would be the one who managed to land the first virtual 'blood'.

Pondering for a moment, he tapped the option for the first blood. In an official PVP duel, one, two, or a thousand damage attack won't be converted as exp. He could choose the third option and still get the same amount of exp should he chose the first option. The first would save him some time, he'll PK later. He wanted to level up first.

Unsheathing his sword he settled into his personal stance. He had real experience with sword styles, and he was a nitoryuu-style combatant, but in Sword Art Online he could only use one sword so he had to develop a stance for a one-handed sword style during the beta testing.

He bent down to the traditional stance, with his left hand wide open in about 120 degrees, and his left foot positioned on the same angle. His other foot bent down 160 degrees to allow a higher range to leap up for supporting my weight. His right hand held his «**Beginner's White Ore Sword**» away from his back, leaving his front open. But truthfully, the further it is the more momentum he will gain, making his attacks stronger so he won't have to focus too much on increasing his strength stats. Being a Solo player, he needed to have a wide range of skills if he wants to survive this world.

He had developed this kata during the beta, so no one in IRL ever saw this stance, since he had long since quit Kendo and he hadn't talk much to Sugu. The players usually laughed at his glaringly obvious openings, underestimating him until the very last second when he slashed his sword through their necks. Overtime, the stance lost its awkwardness and he had become accustomed with using two types of styles.

Heathcliff's stance, though, was pretty basic. Tense knees, rigid right elbow holding his sword in front of him with the tip right at his left eye, and his left hand parted from the body loosely. But his ankles, is he preparing to run left? And why is his left hand—ah. A shield user.

_Begin in… 2… 1… START!_

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**Author's Note**: The summary is not a clickbait. It's the promised chapter that will open the first arc.


End file.
